Spartan Transfer Jack Velling on Oregon State Being Left Out of Big Ten Expansion
When it was revealed that Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC would be moving to the Big Ten almost a year ago, Jonathan Smith's Oregon State squad "felt disrespected," according to new Michigan State tight end Jack Velling, who, of course, followed Smith from Corvallis.
"It kind of felt like we were kind of being left behind a little bit," Velling said at Big Ten Football Media Days on Wednesday. "As a team, we kind of all felt disrespected. But it happened, and there really wasn't anything we could do about it, so we kind of just played the season and took it one week at a time, and that's really kind of how we looked at it."
While the Beavers program, itself, did not make the cut to move to the Big Ten, Velling and his other Beaver-turned-Spartan teammates -- quarterback Aidan Chiles and offensive lineman Tanner Miller -- are now there, and they have an opportunity to use that feeling of "disrespect" against the new Big Ten teams.
Of those teams, the Spartans will only face Oregon this season, but if there's one team from the Pac-12 those former Beavers would have wanted, it's the Ducks, their old in-state rival.
Of course, Michigan State will still face the other new Big Ten teams down the road. Coach Smith will have an advantage when that happens, having coached in the Pac-12 over the last six seasons.
"I will say, those four coming in, they've got some real tradition over there," Smith said on Wednesday. "They've had some big-time players, big-time teams, coaches. Just like all 18, there's not going to be an easy week in this league, and those four teams are not going to be an easy week."
Smith and his Oregon State team finished with a winning record against the Pac-12 in each of the last three seasons.
The Spartans will face the Ducks in Eugene, Oregon on Friday, Oct. 9. They kick off fall camp on Tuesday and will start their 2024 season with their home opener against Florida Atlantic on Friday, Aug. 30. Michigan State will then face its first conference opponent of the season, Maryland, the following week.
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